On Thu, 26 Apr 2018 11:50:03 -0400, Frank Krygowski
wrote:

On 4/26/2018 4:46 AM, Tanguy Ortolo wrote:
James, 2018-04-26 01:55+0200:
Like Frank said, wax alone allows and the chain will squeak sooner
rather than later. I use much more oil than Frank though, about 50/50
candle wax and EP gear oil. Paraffin oil is also apparently quite good.

Thank you for the advice!

My mixture cost me sweet F.A., and lasts at least 1000km between
applications including some wet rides. Heat the mix in an old cooking
pot until it is liquid and immerse the chain. Use a Connex quick link
for convenience.

So, to sum up, I can get some paraffin wax, put it in a pot with some
oil (paraffin or motor oil), heat it until it melts, stir to make an
homogeneous mix, and immerse my previously cleaned chain in it. All
right?

The mixture will solidify again so I can then remove it from the pot and
store it in some jar.

It's the best of three worlds.
1/ Long chain life.
2/ Low maintenance.
3/ Low cost.

Great, I have to try this! With some adaptation to enhance the wife
acceptance factor, because I expect some trouble if I use a kitchen pot
for such a mechanic work. :-D

The other common advice with this method: Don't heat the wax-oil mix
indoors over an open flame. Supposedly the vapors are flammable and any
resulting fire can be fierce and difficult to extinguish. So your gas
kitchen stove is out.

Some people say it's OK if you use that stove but have the wax in a
double boiler, to keep the temperature down to 100C.

I've heated a pot of wax outdoors, single pot (not double boiler) over a
camping stove and had no fire. But I'd be very cautious with a gas
kitchen stove.

I think some people have used a microwave oven to melt the wax, but I'm
not sure.

I would be a bit apprehensive about heating any hydrocarbon over an
open flame.... after all their most important property is that they
burn.

I've recently been using an electric cooking pot, from the shape
perhaps a "Wok", that I believe cost me about $10.00 and it even has a
thermostat.
--
Cheers,

John B.